Chinese Vegetable Spring Rolls

1 pack spring roll pastry
3 eggs
1 onion, finely sliced
1 carrot, finely matchsticked
1 red pepper, finely matchsticked
1 pak choi, finely sliced
2 spring onions, finely sliced
4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and finely sliced
Handful beansprouts, washed and drained
1 tablespoon cornflour
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Sweet chilli sauce, to serve

The Seasoning
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetarian stir fry sauce
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
Light soy sauce, good splash
Pinch sugar
Dash sesame oil

PREPARATION

Prepare the filling

1. Beat the eggs with a dash of light soy sauce and a pinch of sugar.
2. Heat a wok until smoking hot with a small drizzle of oil. Pour in the egg and use a circular motion to create thin wisps. Gently cut into the egg as it sets to form soft ribbons. Once cooked, remove and set aside.
3. Finely matchstick all vegetables. Keeping everything thin prevents the filling from piercing the pastry.
4. Return the wok to high heat with a little oil. Add all vegetables except the beansprouts and stir fry quickly. Keep the wok smoking hot and never lose the sizzle.
5. Add vegetarian stir fry sauce, sweet chilli sauce, a splash of light soy, a pinch of sugar and a dash of sesame oil. Toss thoroughly so the mixture becomes lightly sticky.
6. Remove the filling from the wok.
7. Flash fry the beansprouts separately for 20 to 30 seconds on high heat so they wilt slightly but remain crunchy.
8. Roughly chop the cooked egg and fold into the vegetable mixture along with the beansprouts.
9. While still warm, mix in 1 tablespoon cornflour to absorb excess moisture. Allow the filling to cool for about 10 minutes before wrapping.

COOKING

To wrap the spring rolls

1. Place a sheet of spring roll pastry diagonally in front of you.
2. Mix a little egg with water to use as glue.
3. Add a spoonful of filling just above the bottom corner.
4. Roll over tightly, then bring the two sides in firmly to form an envelope shape.
5. Continue rolling tightly towards the top.
6. Brush the final edge with egg wash and seal.

Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.

To deep fry

1. Fill a wok no more than halfway with vegetable oil.
2. Heat to 180°C. Test with wooden chopsticks. If bubbles form immediately, the oil is ready.
3. Fry the spring rolls in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
4. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce.

School of Wok Tips

• Finely slice vegetables to prevent tearing the pastry.
• Never lose the sizzle when stir frying the filling.
• Cool the filling before wrapping to avoid soggy pastry.
• Keep oil at 180°C for even colour and crunch.

FAQs

Why cook the beansprouts separately?
They need very little cooking time and retain better crunch when added at the end.

Why add cornflour to the filling?
It absorbs excess moisture and helps keep the pastry crisp during frying.

Can I freeze these?
Yes. Freeze uncooked and fry from frozen, adding an extra minute to the cooking time.